Friday, August 28, 2009

OK, ya'll tell me if you couldn't figure this one out for yourselves...

Births Decline in Most Areas Hardest Hit by Hurricane Katrina

Births in most of the Gulf Coast areas hit by Hurricane Katrina plungedin the 12 months following the deadly storm, according to a report fromthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, "The Effectof Hurricane Katrina: Births in the U.S. Gulf Coast Region, Before andAfter the Storm," examines birth certificates for the 12 monthspreceding Katrina and the 12 months following the storm, (Aug. 29, 2004to Aug. 28, 2006). The data cover residents in the 91 Federal EmergencyManagement Agency- designated counties and parishes of Alabama,Louisiana, and Mississippi.

* The number of births in the 14 counties and parishes decreased 19percent in the year after Katrina compared with the previous year.Births decreased by 30 percent for the selected parishes in Louisianaand 13 percent for the selected counties in Mississippi but increased by6 percent for the selected counties in Alabama.

* The number of births to non-Hispanic black women in the selectedparishes of Louisiana fell substantially (51 percent) after the storm.Births were also down for non-Hispanic white (14 percent), Hispanic (21percent), and Asian/Pacific Islander (34 percent) women.

* In Orleans Parish, the central parish of New Orleans, the proportionof births to non-Hispanic black women fell from 78 percent of totalbirths before the storm to 60 percent in the year after Katrina hit.

* The proportion of births to teens for these 14 selected counties andparishes were unchanged after the storm, except in the selected parishesin Louisiana, where they decreased 11 percent.

* Cesarean deliveries for the 14 selected counties and parishes rose by10 percent in the Alabama and Mississippi counties and 6 percent in theLouisiana parishes.

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Ramblin" Jan

Lord I was born a Ramblin’ JanTryin to make a livin and doin’ the best I canWhen it’s time for leavin I hope you’ll understandThat I was born a rambling Jan

Apologies to Richard Betts & the Allman Brothers... I figure maybe they'll forgive me if they ever happen to see this. There's a weak tie of sorts between us. Many years back, when they were just beginning to be recognized by the world, I was friends with a guy who rode bikes with a few of the Allman Brothers. I met them a few times, never rode with them unfortunately (would have been a fun thing to claim!). They're a bit older than I am so I'm sure I never registered in their minds as anything other than a skinny little kid who wanted to be a big kid. Ah well, if I'd known they were going to be so HUGE in years to come, maybe I'd have an autograph or a photo. Maybe not.